1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ignitor for a rocket engine, and more specifically, to a hypergolic liquid ignitor for use with a rocket engine, such as the MC-1 engine.
2. Prior Art
Various hypergolic ignitor designs have been developed in the past. These ignitors are utilized to commence the burning of the rocket engine propellants in the combustion chamber. Hypergolic fluid is designed to ignite spontaneously upon contact with an oxidizer. The prior art ignitors are mounted off the main injector of the rocket engine and are typically incorporated into a fuel bypass line feeding the injector. These ignitors dispense the hypergolic fluid through the injector into the combustion chamber where the fuel was ignited. Fuel pressure from the feed or fuel system forces the ignitor fluid into the combustion chamber where it ignites the rocket engine propellants.
The traditional hypergolic ignitor designs suffer from a plurality of disadvantages. First, they are typically non-reusable and expensive to construct since they are not constructed with off-the-shelf components. Secondly, the filling of the prior art ignitors requires a high degree of complexity. Furthermore, the prior art ignitors deliver the ignitor fluid through the combustion chamber injector instead of directly into the combustion chamber. This introduces a plurality of additional design considerations for both the ignitor and the injector.
Thus, a need exists for an efficient, cost effective ignitor which may communicate directly with the combustion chamber rather than requiring the complexity of additional valves or flow control devices to deliver ignitor fluid through the injector.
Another need exists for a modular design for an ignitor allowing faster assembly and interchangeability of parts.
A further need exists for a method of joining two structural members while providing for disassembly at a later date.